December 4, 2014
Follow the Mediterranean diet could cause longer telomeres are taken. That is, repetitive DNA sequences found at the ends of the longest chromosomes, which could be the key to aging.
The Mediterranean diet lengthens life. And we do not say here in Spain, but in the United States. A study by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston (USA) relates the power following the Mediterranean diet with longer telomeres, a biomarker associated with a longer life.
Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that are shortened every time a cell divides. Seem to have the key to aging, biological age and life expectancy can be predicted by measuring the DNA of an individual.
Our study further supports the benefits of this diet to promote health and longevidadLos American researchers have now discovered that a greater adherence to the Mediterranean food could cause the individual to have longer telomeres, as described in the online edition of the British Medical Journal . Shorter telomeres have been associated with decreased life expectancy and increased risk of age-related disease while longer telomeres have been linked with longevity.
Stress and inflammation accelerate telomere shortening and it is speculated that adherence to the Mediterranean diet can help cushion this cut of telomeres. “Our results further support the benefits of adherence to the Mediterranean diet to promote health and longevity,” said the lead researcher, Immaculata De Vivo, an associate professor in the Division of Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and School Harvard Public Health.
The authors of this study analyzed 4,676 women free of disease Health Study nurses longuitud measurements of their telomeres and who had completed a food frequency questionnaire. The researchers found that greater adherence to the Mediterranean diet, and even small changes in diet were associated with longer telomeres.
“Our results show that healthy eating in general is associated with longer telomeres. However, the strongest association was observed among women adhered to the Mediterranean diet,” says Marta Crous-Bou, postdoctoral fellow and author of work.
De Vivo said that future research should be directed toward determining which components of the Mediterranean diet are driving this relationship. This would allow researchers to delve into the biological mechanism and provide a basis for greater public education about lifestyle choice.
Sources: Europapress
